RE: Bulpett: Budget Clouds Mercer's Future

[John Lyell <Jlyell@concentric.net>]

We really need to see what Battie & Mercer think they are worth. Neither 
has proven they have a complete game if they think they are worth too much 
we will have to move them.  Both are athletic, but still are not star level 
players worth risking another big contract on an unproven commodity.  But 
with the salaries that mediocre players are getting,  someone is bound to 
give them what they want.   Lorenzen Wright is a similar player with 
something to show, and would be a nice pickup allowing us to move Walker to 
the 3 spot.

The key question is whether veterans will play his style, or if he will 
make the appropriate changes and move or lose players like Bowen, Minor, 
Schintzius, Riley, Popeye.
















On Monday, May 03, 1999 6:17 AM, Josh Ozersky [SMTP:josh_ozersky@yahoo.com] 
wrote:
> Why should we sign Ron now?  We can wait until Pervis'
> contract is finally over, and other moves have been
> made.  Tony Battie absolutely has to be signed -- this
> is more important that Mercer, for my money.  And I
> don't see why we need a bruising power forward at all.
>  Put Tony in at four, and Popeye against bigger guys.
> If Jones can't play, then use his IR money for Mercer.
>  See?  No problem.  I think Pitino is doing a lot of
> talking about money for his boss' benefit, but no way
> will he hurt himself as a basketball coach for
> financial reasons.  The Celtics can afford plenty more
> then they are spending.  They had better plan on
> paying Pierce the Max next summer too.
>
>
> --- Way Of The Ray  wrote:
> > This is a paraphrase of Steve Bulpett's article --
> > non-
> > Web posted -- from today's Boston Herald (p. 115):
> >
> > - Contract negotiations between the C's and Mercer
> > will be interesting
> > this summer
> >
> > - "Budgetary concerns" could intrude upon the
> > negotiations, despite the
> > fact, that "Mercer is clearly a key member of the
> > operation..."
> >
> > - Pitino said negotiations will be more difficult
> > than the Walker one's
> > because he said he has a budget, "'that I have to
> > stay within...'"
> >
> > - Pitino further stated: "'It's not something that's
> > just going to
> > happen, like Antoine's...'"
> >
> > - Bulpett mentions that the C's could wait to sign
> > Mercer in the summer
> > of 2000.
> >
> > - Pitino mentions that Chris Wallace is going to
> > handle the financial
> > aspects of the negotiations, and that he hasn't
> > thought about it all
> > that much
> >
> > Now for the good stuff:
> >
> > Bulpett says:
> >
> > "Mercer's name has been raised in trade discussions
> > before, and he will likely come up again if the
> > Celtics
> > can find a large, high-quality defender and
> > rebounder for
> > the power forward spot - or even a front-line point
> > guard.
> >
> > "The latter would have to be a package that includes
> >
> > Kenny Anderson.
> >
> > "While noting that he certainly isn't trying to get
> > rid of a
> > talent like Mercer (Ray's comment: Ha Ha Ha), Pitino
> > acknowledged
> > that a new contract for his Kentucky pupil would
> > essentially
> > bind him to Boston for a while.
> >
> > "'Once you sign him, you can't really trade him for
> > two years...
> > If Ron signs, then he goes to base year and you can
> > only get 50 percent
> > back in trade after a certain date.'"
> >
> > Bulpett says the Mercer contract issue will come
> > down to "how much Gaston
> > allows his coach and president to spend."
> > Ray
> >
> >
>
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